imomus | In which I am travestied by Mr Punch

An email arrived this morning from my friend Vincent Punch.

"This is Vincent the security guard at the Whitney Museum (NY)," he wrote, "whom you gave your bull-horn to at the end of last year Whitney's biennial. About a month ago, we held our Christmas staff art show and I presented a piece of work with myself as a desperate Momus (thus Fake-mus) wanna-be. It was a hit and I hope that you will also find it funny and not be offended."

The attached photo -- a brilliant piece of photoshopping, since we never stood head to head like this, dressed as rival Unreliable Tour Guides; Vincent was in his guard uniform every time I saw him -- was entitled Whitney museum security guard (Fake-mus) with Momus and captioned "PLEASE! PLEASE! (Sorry Fake-mus, there's only room for one of us)".

"Someone from the Whitney gave me an article from your blog about the "Kate Moss is not black"," Mr Punch continued, "which I find very interesting and timely, so I'm sending a copy of the piece I put in our staff art show. Thanks again for the horn, it's one of my prized possessions."

Writing back to ask Vincent's permission to run the photo on Click Opera, I said: "It looks like we're really going head to head in a sound system clash or something! It's interesting also that you relate it to the Kate Moss is not black article, because that's really making a case for travesty sometimes being a respectful or affectionate act, and here I really feel the Unreliable Tour Guide is being travestied with affection.

Thanks so much!

Nick (ex-Unreliable Tour Guide)"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You got friends reading you all over the glob

TROY
tel aviv
Isreal

That is a great photoshop, and I think it is great that he's doing that. Excellent all around.

That's lovely! I think it's perfectly wonderful that they have a staff art show, and that security guards are encouraged to participate.

The security people at the Whitney are really great people -- many of the guards are artists, or poets. I mentioned Claude McKay Jnr (http://imomus.livejournal.com/198627.html) before, nephew of the Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay, and a poet like his uncle.

Thank you very much Momus, for your high praises and regards for the Whitney Museum's security guards who still think that you were the "BEST" artist of Whitney's 2006 biennial. It cannot be said enough what a difference it makes to us when celebrities like yourself take time to stop,look and listen to what the ordinary people have to say or do. Everyone is excited about this.
So on behalf of the Security staff, I would like to thank you for your respect and for lending a great voice for the ordinary people.
Thanks Momus

Vincent Punch.

bored at work :)
x

That's sweet! What a nice thing to make and what a nice reply you gave!
mixu62

Ha hah--That's great! Pretty good photoshop splice, too.

Wow, I would have loved to see TWO unreliable tour guides shouting conflicting opinions and facts in the same room. Maybe next time?

That's what I was thinking. And Vincent looks perfect!

Oh yeah, I ran into you at the Witney for a second and I didn't know you were performing. I just assumed you always carried around a little megaphone. But come to think of it, I did get a little lost after I met you. Actually, I'm starting to feel a little lost just thinking about it. Lost lost lost.
Lesson:
Don't give your megaphone away.
They're just going to imitate you anyway.

Wow! That's so cool! And damn, that's a great job in Photoshop.

It was a quite funny incident at the beginning of the Whitney Biennal when the guards didn't knew that you had the rights to be an unreliable tour guide.

I would love to see an army of Unreliable Tour Guides.

awww!!
can an action figure be next?

That lighting on both of you matches. You don't get that usually without a good deal of effort in the original shooting of the image you're going to composite. Kudos to the photographer who shot Mr. Punch. Then kudos once again to photoshopper that completed the work. This is F'ing brilliant. I laughed out loud.

Vincent Punch replies by email:

"In response to the anonymous blogger who said that "Punch has the great kung-fu" and wants to know who was the photographer who shot the picture and who completed the photoshop work, it may surprise you to know that I did everything at home using a Fuji S7000 mounted on a tripod. I tried several poses before cutting them down to eight. here are some of the originals. I have a few more shots of myself which I call "Fun & Trick" shots."

Mr. Punch has impressed yet again! In addition, to this wonderful piece he is a solid documenrtary photographer with is a huge informal (and formal) portfolio of the Whitney over several years. ...And he is a dedicated and top-notch guard.

A fan who used to work there.... sq

Mr. Punch has impressed yet again! In addition to this wonderful piece, he is a solid documenrtary photographer with is a huge informal (and formal) portfolio of photos of and about the Whitney over several years. ...And he is a dedicated and top-notch guard.

A fan who used to work there.... sq

The photography is brilliant and our Uncle Vincent has many of excellent photography he has done with my daughters. Uncle vincent, the girls love and our proud of you, now take this to another level don't stop there Capp.
love jen and family xx

I'm Mr. Punch's oldest son, and it's a real pleasure to read the positive responses the web community has given to my father's work. Thank you all! Our family has always encouraged him to pursue his talents and interest in visual art.

S. Punch

Vincent's pics show real creativity in photography. He manages to create stunning compositions by 'stitching, welding, and combining photos to form themes: I have seen some quite imaginative stuff that he has done. This is not the usual 'trick' photography, what he has done is to bring iMomus to life to people like me and I am now going to follow iM more closely. The Whitney environment is a wonderful ground for him to improve his talent.

Oops, I forgot to add that I am a very proud older brother of a blossoming but still reluctant talent!!!{:O)).

Martin Punch

Thanks to you my brother,my son Shawn, Jen my neice and all the wonderful people for their positive comments on my photography. This past week has been a great week for me and I have had more than my "15 minutes of fame."
I want to thank the Whitney museum for providing the guards a way in which they're able to showcase their talents, also from the Whitney museum, Kathryn Potts, Veronica Richards and Chris for curating the art show and providing me with the information to contact Momus to make all this possible. It's been a great ride.

Thanks to all you "Beautiful People"

Vincent Punch

Well! Well!. What a way to hear from someone you have not heard from in quite some time. Thanks for the wonderful comments and high praises. I still remember you urging me on not only in photography but also to get into radio broadcasting because of my deep baritone voice.
Thanks again.

Vincent Punch

In which I am travestied by Mr Punch

That's right

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THANKS! THANKS! THANKS!

are you in fact kate moss?

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security or tour?

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Punch has great kung-fu

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Punch's Kung-fu

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